XXXVIII: It Isn't Over

As Judith stared at the night's sky, she was instantly taken by the sudden beauty of the stars, which just like the array of Barriers she just saw, twinkled with sparks of different colors. She watched as one star changed colors with each twinkle, which really hammered home the fact that Judith was definitely not on earth anymore.

Which, as of this moment in particular, wasn't a bad thing.

Judith shut her eyes for just a moment, taking in deep breaths and exhales, as she tried to rest, even for just a little while. Said little while was very little, because just within three seconds of shutting her eyes, Judith had opened them again, her heart now beating fast.

She at once sat up, turned to face Qui Lin, then asked in a frantic voice.

"The Parabeast, pieces of it, how...how many flew..."

*BOOM* reverberated into the air. Several houses went up in flames, as several explosions ate into the tranquil silence, so it ceased to exist. Screams filled the air, chilling Judith to the bone.

But more than that, Judith froze in place when she heard Qui Lin speak with a tone lacking any soul. Making it seem as though a dead person was talking. Judith focused on what word had been said, then she realized Qui Lin had said "Prince Lee" just before getting off the ground and rushing toward the manor.

Judith, dazed for a moment, got up and followed behind. It didn't take her much effort to catch up to Qui Lin, who seemed to have really been affected by the weight of the explosion.

Judith took her attention away from Qui Lin and placed it on the manor ahead, which was half engulfed in flames. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see more illumination, turning to it, she found more buildings on fire, then turning to her left, the same thing.

Screams were still echoing into the night as the light of the moon became overshadowed by the luminescence of the flames that were eating away at multiple buildings. Judith, watched as people scrambled out of the flaming buildings, while others sought to put out the fire.

Feeling her heart rend, Judith turned away from the scene of struggle and fixated her gaze on the manor, which was now just a few feet away.

People could be seen rushing out the manor, all maids and a few nobles. Some were standing outside looking at the flames, others were on the floor, coughing frantically, while some just laid unconscious. Which communicated that they either fell unconscious upon escaping the manor, or they were carried out.

Qui Lin and Judith had approached the manor, making their way through the crowd and pressing forward. Or rather, Qui Lin was pressing forward, as Judith had stopped at the boundary of people where the others had lined up.

"Lady Qui Lin, where are you going!?" Judith had screamed, trying to get her voice above the clamor of the people and the roaring of the flames, which was accompanied by falling debris. Judith had asked a question she already had the answer to, but had hoped doing so would somehow dissuade Qui Lin.

Not answering Judith's question, she pressed on.

"If you go in there you'll die!" Judith screamed at the top of her lungs, as she felt a deep pain by the sight unfolding before her very eyes.

Qui Lin was too weak, but yet, she wanted to risk her life...just for a body.

Freezing in place, Qui Lin remained quiet. As Judith had stared at her, she saw at the corner of Qui Lin's face, a trickle, which slid down her cheek, glistening the light of the flames.

Upon seeing this, she had lost all words to speak. Which as a direct result, disabled her from stopping Qui Lin as she pressed onwards.

Not going too far ahead and stopping just in front of the flaming building, Qui Lin froze once more. Taking on the demeanor of a petrified Medusa-made statue. Judith, now confused, stared ahead of Qui Lin to see what had her so frightened.

As Judith stared at the building, she saw something, no, someone approaching. At first Judith just saw the back of a person's head, which was upside down. This sight had made Judith feel a sudden fear, fear that a demon which was walking upside down was approaching from the flames.

But then, as the head further emerged, Judith could see said head was attached to a body, which was being carried by someone else.

It didn't take too long to find out who was carrying this body, but when the person was revealed, gasps had flown into the air, and Judith, was frozen in fear.

Before everybody's eyes, the prince was walking. Carrying three people with him, two on top both his shoulders and one caressed in his hands.

Qui Lin was lost, baffled, bewildered, astonished, frightened, cautious. She was a mix of emotions, she didn't know how to react, what to say, what to even believe.

But while Qui Lin was deciding on what emotion to take precedence in her heart, Judith did not struggle with such a dilemma, as she knew exactly what she was feeling.

Whereas everyone here were astonished that the prince had seemingly resurrected, Judith was frozen in fear, a fear that ate deep into her bones. Because she could see that this person before everyone's eyes was not the prince, but a different being completely.

At once Judith knew this was, a god.

Ignoring everyone, the 'Prince' turned to Judith, and smiled.